


Baby Steps

by notjustmom



Series: Box of 64 [5]
Category: Sherlock (TV), Sherlock Holmes & Related Fandoms
Genre: Established Sherlock Holmes/John Watson, First Steps, Flashbacks, M/M, Or not, Rosie's first date, author is moody, mostly fluffy, who knows - Freeform, yes could be a long one
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-03-10
Updated: 2017-05-21
Packaged: 2018-10-02 05:44:34
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 2,056
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10210850
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/notjustmom/pseuds/notjustmom
Summary: Domestic fluff as Rosie goes on her first date.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

  * For [scrub456](https://archiveofourown.org/users/scrub456/gifts).



> to my heart, deep breaths, love.

"Be back at -"

"One."

"I believe we said -"

"One, Da, please?" Rosie bent over Sherlock and kissed his mostly still raven curls, just beginning to turn silver on the edges.

"See this, Ro?" Sherlock pulled out his one purely silver curl and looked up to narrow his eyes at her. "This is-"

"It's gorgeous, it's stunning, and Papa loves it, makes him feel less..." She lowered her voice to a whisper, "old."

Sherlock sighed and glared at John, who was grinning at his laptop. 

"It is a Saturday, love, she is eighteen. Could be wors-"

Sherlock began to open his mouth, then shut it again, as he rolled his eyes and stood up to give Rosie a kiss on her mess of blonde curls. "One o'clock, not a second after or I'll send your Uncle Mycroft after you."

"He's been retired-"

"He still knows people. Now, go, before I change my mind, and give Lily a kiss from us."

"I will. Love you." She turned and smiled at them both, then flew down the stairs in her two inch heels.

"Don't know how she does it," mumbled Sherlock as he stood at the window, watching as Rosie walked down the street and disappeared from view.

"What, love? Get you to change her curfew so easily?" John grimaced at the sentence he had just typed and deleted it, again.

"No, walk in heels - I remember when she could barely -" his voice softened to nothing, and John put down his laptop, then walked to stand behind Sherlock, and gently kissed that one spot that still made Sherlock's breath stutter.

"I know, honeybee - "

 

Mrs. Hudson was dusting as usual when it happened. Rosie had pulled herself up on the arm of John's chair when she saw Sherlock throw the last bite of gingernut biscuit into the air. She squealed and took a couple of shaky steps before lunging for Sherlock's knees, but missed. Luckily, Sherlock had recovered from his shock and caught her before she tumbled to the floor.

"Well, done, Rosie. Well done, love...gingernuts, hmm?" Sherlock whispered, before smiling softly at Rosie and kissing her nose. "Oh. Damn," he muttered to himself as he closed his eyes and shook his head.

"Sherlock, language -" Mrs. Hudson snarked at him, but she couldn't keep the smile from her voice.

Sherlock rolled his eyes and sighed, "I know, but...no video of her first steps, and John wasn't here."

"Are you quite sure about that?"

"John is at work, Hudders." Sherlock grumbled.

"No, I mean, are you sure there is no video?" Mrs. Hudson looked over at the bookcase and winked at him. Sherlock snarled at his brother's impertinence, but for once, he was grateful for the intrusion.

 

Myc? - SH

Congratulations, Brother Mine - MH

I need video. You obviously have footage, yes? - SH

I just assumed you would want to have an extra set of eyes, with a child in the house? - MH

Myc. - SH

Video will arrive shortly. - MH

Thank you, Myc. - SH

Camera will be disabled, if you wish. - MH

Please. - SH

Done. - MH

 

"It was five minutes ago, John."

"I know, love. But you know what?"

"What?" Sherlock leaned back into John's arms and sighed.

"We have the flat to ourselves. Until 1 AM. You are a genius."

"Hmmm...do you remember our first 'date'?"

"How could I forget, love?"


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> their 'first date' post TFP....where else?

"Are you sure you don't mind?" John asked Mrs. Hudson one last time as he and Sherlock were on their way out the door.

"John Watson, he has been waiting long enough, both of you have. Now, go! Rosie and I will be fine, I know both your numbers, and will call Mycroft if need be."

Sherlock rolled his eyes, "even he has a date tonight, if you can believe it."

John froze and tried to picture who would date Mycroft, when Sherlock murmured in his ear, "Lady Alicia Smallwood."

"Ahhh...making up for -"

"It's their fifth date in two weeks, think it's a bit more than an apology -"

John blinked and shook his head, "I need a large amount of lasagna and red wine to begin to forg-"

Sherlock turned and winked at him, and John forgot what he was going to say.

"Take all the time you need, boys."

"Thank you, Mrs. Hudson," Sherlock blew her a kiss, then grabbed John's hand and sighed as he felt how neatly his doctor's fingers fit together with his own...

 

"We haven't been there in ages, what do you say, John?" Sherlock kissed him gently and grinned that ridiculous grin that could make John promise him anything, and the git knew it. "We have the night off..."

"Yes, alright, I think he still leaves that table open for us...like I was going to say 'no' to you wanting to eat." John rolled his eyes and kissed Sherlock's fingers. "And then home, yeah?"

"I'll even leave my phone at home, though they don't really -" Sherlock's voice faded, but he looked into John's warm eyes and shrugged. "Doesn't matter, I don't need that anymore, love, you are the only mystery I need now."

"Dinner?" John whispered.

"Starving." Sherlock answered quietly, without missing a beat.

 

"Boys! Sherlock! John, where is the little angel...wait, you two, here alone, you -"

Sherlock beamed at Angelo and nodded. 

"Finally! Billy, candle on Sherlock's table, hmmm...double order of lasagna, two glasses of the good red, yes? Come, sit! Billy!" Angelo's voice boomed through the restaurant as they followed him to their table that looked over Northumberland St. They had come here countless times since that first night, the night of their first mad chase, but tonight, tonight, thought Sherlock, tonight was the first time they were there 'together' and he saw a look in John's eyes that told him he felt the same way. They sat down and John took Sherlock's hands in his, and looked down at their fingers interlaced together.

"I'm sorry," John mumbled. 

"What for?" Sherlock found his eyes were drawn to their hands as well and suddenly, breathing wasn't quite so boring.

"Should never have taken us this long to be here, like this, if I had, I mean -"

Sherlock picked up John's hands in his and shook his head. "It wasn't our time, if you hadn't met Mary, we wouldn't have Rosie now, and I can't imagine our life without her, can you? There were reasons it took us as long as it did, a lot of it was my fault - that being dead thing, and -"

John laughed out loud, a rare noise that made Sherlock stop speaking and he dropped John's hands, then pulled his blogger into an awkward, but sweet, gentle kiss.

Sherlock murmured against John's lips just loud enough for John to hear, "I do love you, John Watson, with everything I have. You do believe that, don't you?" He became shy and looked away, but John touched Sherlock's cheek and turned his face carefully.

"I do, Sherlock, I truly know, I hope - I hope, damn - you know -" John ran out of words and bit his lip.

"We don't have to eat dinner here, you know, we could get it boxed up, Angelo would understand."

John blew out the breath he had been holding and shook his head. "Baby steps, love, I really am hungry and I want to sit here and watch what the candlelight does to your eyes."

"Baby steps." Sherlock smiled at him and it took John's breath away once more.


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> finally finishing this bit up...

Somehow they managed to eat every bite of the lasagna, though neither of them could have said what it tasted like, and they were surprised when they both looked down to see the empty bowl.

Sherlock raised his eyes shyly to meet John's and whispered, "Can I -"

"- take you home, now?" John finished, as he moved closer, their foreheads barely touching.

"Please?"

 

"Why are you nervous, John?"

John blinked at Sherlock as they stood in their room. "I - because I'm afraid I won't be what you want -"

Sherlock rolled his eyes and whispered, "May I?" John nodded as Sherlock placed a steady hand on John's chest. "Breathe, John. It's just me."

"Just you." John murmured as he laid a trembling hand on Sherlock's hip. "There's never been anything 'just' about you."

Sherlock snorted and began to unbutton John's shirt. "If I need to stop, just tell me."

John shook his head and closed his eyes, shivering as he felt Sherlock's fingers play at the edge of his vest. "It's fine. It's all fine." Sherlock drew the vest over John's head and drew in a sharp breath.

"John." Sherlock breathed his name out in a sigh, and John froze. "Shh - it's just - you are so beautiful, I -"

"No - I'm not -"

"You are. You are stunning." His fingertips lightly grazed over the scar that reminded them both how close they had come to never having this night, and John almost fell over. "Sorry," Sherlock mumbled as he wrapped his other hand around John, steadying them both. "I want to take you to bed. Can I, please, John?"

"Oh, God. Yes. Yes, love."

 

Sherlock looked at his phone. Six in the morning. Nothing but the sound of John's breathing next to him. Rosie. Time to get Rosie. He glanced down at John, his head resting on Sherlock's shoulder, his hand over Sherlock's heart, covering the scar that had nearly undone John last night. Sherlock blinked back the tears he hadn't shed just a few hours ago, somehow he had been the steady one, while John had let everything go. Sherlock had thought John couldn't possibly feel the same for him as Sherlock did for him, but he smiled as he remembered watching John's face as he came for the first time in Sherlock's hand. It was -

"Morning." John rumbled into his neck. "Wasn't sure you'd still be here when I woke up. Still not sure last night wasn't a dream."

"Hmmmm..." Sherlock ran his fingers down John's back and felt the goosebumps raise as he went. "Nope, pretty sure it was real."

"In that case, I need a shower. Will you -?"

Sherlock looked into John's eyes and nodded. 

 

"How was her night?" Sherlock asked Mrs. Hudson an hour later.

"Not a peep from her all night. And how -" Sherlock blushed as Mrs. Hudson kissed his cheek. "I'm so glad, Sherlock. You both deserve to be happy after everything. I'm so happy for you."

Sherlock nodded and bit his lip as he took Rosie into his arms. She yawned and touched his cheek. "Da."

"Yeah, Ro. Ready for some breakfast?"

She snuggled into his shoulder, and sighed happily.

 

Sherlock looked up as Rosie walked into the kitchen, her hair a spiky mess; in her normal sweats and favourite tattered t shirt, one of John's old concert shirts that had faded enough that the name of the band had been lost. She yawned and rummaged in the cupboards for something to eat.

"So -?"

"Hmmm? What?"

"How was it?"

Rosie poured herself a cup of tea, dumped in four spoons of sugar, and sat down across from him. "How did you know?"

"Know?"

"How did you know that you were in love with Papa?"

"My heart raced, my face felt hot and it was hard to breathe - that's not what you want to know."

Rosie shook her head at him, and looked into her tea.

"I knew because of how I felt when I wasn't with him. Like I was missing half of myself."

Rosie nodded. "Yeah. Exactly. That."

Sherlock got up from his seat and walked over to her, and wrapped his arm around her shoulder. "Good. I'm glad, Ro. Have you told her?"

"Last night. I was afraid to tell her, but then when I was about to, she said it first. I never thought it would feel that way."

"Like the wind got knocked out of you?"

She nodded again and whispered, "I thought it would be gentle, or something. There's nothing really soft about loving someone, is there?"

Sherlock closed his eyes and thought for a moment, before answering. "No. I don't think so, it takes guts and patience to love someone, Ro. And you have more than enough of both, sweetie."

"Only because of you and Papa." She reached her arm around him and leaned into his shoulder. "You taught me how."


End file.
